Spring Creek knocks off Hobbton

SEVEN SPRINGS -- Many say a team improves more from game one to game two than any other time during the season.

Spring Creek's opening endowment game loss to South Lenoir last week was filled with miscues and inconsistency.

This week, Spring Creek scored on its opening drive on an 18-yard pass from Josh Wright to Lelo Burt and eventually claimed a 20-13 win at home against Hobbton.

"I was totally embarrassed last week. I am so happy for my team and my seniors tonight," Spring Creek coach Roy Whitfield said.

The Gators' Ronnie Butler returned the opening kickoff to the Wildcat 39. Wright directed an efficient four-play drive, which concluded with the scoring pass to Burt. A Manuel Aliva point after with less than three minutes elapsed gave the Gators a 7-0 lead.

The Gators were consistent all game long, taking advantage of just about every opportunity.

"I am ecstatic about our line play," Whitfield said.

Hobbton's initial first down came with 6:44 left in the second quarter. Spring Creek dominated time of possession and ran twice as many plays as the Wildcats.

Spring Creek struck again in the second quarter. After a Hobbton fumble, the Gators used a six-play, 30-yard drive to increase their lead to 13-0 on a 1-yard sneak by Wright.

What followed in the second half may be the turning point in the young Spring Creek football program.

On the first play from scrimmage in the third quarter at the Hobbton 33, Widcat running back Derrick McDougal broke one tackle, then scampered 67 yards for a touchdown -- just 22 seconds into the third quarter.

Spring Creek's next drive "may be the biggest in the history of Spring Creek football," according to Whitfield.

The Gators used a 16-play, 73-yard drive capped by Ricky Mason's 3-yard touchdown run. The drive consumed nine minutes and 35 seconds of the third quarter. Mason rushed 10 times for 48 yards on a drive that saw the Gator convert four third-down plays.

"There was nothing fancy about what happened tonight. They just slammed it right at us. Spring Creek is a better football team than most people think they are," Hobbton coach Al Britt said.

Hobbton used an eight-play drive and scored on a Ross Thornton 4-yard run with 6:01 left in the game to cut Spring Creek's lead to seven at 20-13.

Spring Creek took over on its own 30 following Hobbton's touchdown and ran out the last six minutes as time expired on the Hobbton 8-yard line.

Mason, a senior, rushed 26 times for 114 yards. Wright was near flawless in his execution.

McDougal emerged Hobbton's top rusher with 122 yards on 10 carries.

Offensive consistency made Whitfield beam.

"We had some miscues but we recovered. Even our interception was 40 yards and like a punt," he said. "This was huge for our team. Hobbton in that Super Six (1-A) Conference is going to get better week after week. We played last week and Hobbton didn't. You can scrimmage all you want to, but it's not like playing."

Spring Creek goes on the road next week to face Midway in Spivey's Corner.